I live in Texas, where we just passed an open carry law. My neighborhood is home to a beautiful Islamic Mosque, where we continually see armed citizens protesting against our Islamic neighbors. My 8-year-old son sees white men standing on a public street corner, armed to the teeth, staring down Islamic families, children in tow, as they enter their place of worship. How to I explain this to my children? How have we allowed this kind of flagrant display of terror in our own country, when we demonize it oversees? How is it that candidates for the presidency are allowed, and even encouraged by their base, to spout racism and misogyny? How? How?

It's easy in these moments to feel completely paralyzed. Right now my guts are churning. Every weekday I send my children off to public school where they engage in active shooter drills. (When visiting my son at school a few weeks ago, he showed me a place in his classroom where he thought he might hide if a gunman entered his second grade classroom.) Additionally, my husband works at a University - a prime target for mass shootings. I think about their safety constantly. But paralysis is the enemy. We must, as my friend Rachel Rice said, "Transform your grief into actions, your prayers into plans." Hell, yes.

Now is the time to interrupt our collective habit energy. Now is the time to contact your representatives. Now is the time to call out politicians who are strapped to the NRA. Now is the time to look deeply at our own habits, fears, prejudices. We must realize that this is our unique American Problem. These mass shootings are on us. We created this and we are perpetuating it. And no amount of "thoughts and prayers" will save us. We need action on a national scale now.

So sad that this is our experience. With all the progress in our nation, we have fallen so far backwards where it matters. My heart is aching and I'm so pissed off, all at the same time. I have no confidence in our leaders. I've always said, replace all the leaders with their mothers, and maybe we can see some positive change.Thanks for your thoughtful post.

La Maison Boheme is French for "the bohemian house". This is my personal blog where I write about soulful living, modern bohemianism, design, social justice, and my life as an artist. So glad you're here!